


Monsters Among Us

by CoyoteInClothing



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Monster Hunters, F/F, Gen, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythology References, Other, Sea Monsters, Sirens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 17:05:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17749964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoyoteInClothing/pseuds/CoyoteInClothing
Summary: Peridot believes she's completed her bucket list after having successfully asked out the girl of her dreams to the Valentine high school dance. But, what she doesn't know is that this world is full of many secrets, and Lapis may not be what she seems. When it's revealed she's a creature who feeds upon innocent people who are attracted to her songs, Peridot is whirled into a world of monster hunters, and she can either try and help Lapis become human once more and find the antidote to her cursed genetics, or leave her to die a cannibal and join the hunt.





	1. The Dance

**Author's Note:**

> // Might continue this later. \\\

Ugh. Valentine's day. Peridot dreaded it. She hated seeing the couples getting all lovey dovey and public about their relationship while she remained closeted about the girl she liked for the past three years since sophomore year. This was her last year if she wanted to make any move, and her last year before graduation and before everyone split up to live their own lives.

 

She had to make her move now, or risk everything.

 

Taking the cliche route of Valentine's day, having gone out and bought the usual box of chocolates accompanied with a bouquet of blue roses with her own allowance, Peridot swore her chest was going to burst with anxiety. What if she got rejected? Laughed at? Mocked?

 

She had gone over her hair at least fifty times, combing through it with gel to make sure that none of the frizzy strands stood up and that not a lock was out of place. She had also cleaned her glasses, brushed her teeth, and washed her face, and bought a pair of new clothes consisting of a black turtleneck with the face of an alien on it and a pair of dark green leggings. Of course she still bore the same green fleece jacket she had since she was fourteen, unable to part with it for even a day. It meant a lot to her, just as this day would be if she succeeded.

 

The box of chocolates and the bouquet had been neatly put away in her backpack. Her shoes were tied twice, and she hoped that she didn't look to nerdy or dopey as some people had called her. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding even once she had made it to the bus stop, still anxious over her worries.

 

The trip to school had her in knots. She had already seen over five couples suggest dates and other gooey things. She made sure not to squish her backpack, wanting to keep the goods inside fresh and safe.

 

Fifth period would probably best to seek out Lapis and ask her out- they had the same science class then. Until then, she had to sit tight and make it through. Endure!

 

Peridot didn't let herself slip not one tiny bit once she had reached campus grounds of HomeWorld High, she immediately made sure that she had her belongings ready for first period and went from there. She stuttered more than usual today when she spoke to the few friends she had or sneered questions, though still held onto hope.

 

First period was a blur. Second was unfathomable. Third was quick, and lunch was... well, she couldn't even remember if she ate or not. All Peridot was transfixed on was blue hair adorned on a girl with fair white skin, and eyes so blue that she could see the ocean in them.

 

Fourth period didn't catch her interest with tales of the Russian empire and royalty. Neither could the tale of Rasputin faze her. When came the final period of the day, Peridot was ready to scream. She had taken a seat near the back, her biology book out and ready to go while her green eyes remained alert in search of the bluenette.

 

Lapis had arrived just before the bell rang, and Peridot was quick to wave her hand and invite her to sit by her. Only a few times did Lapis actually come over whenever she did so, not wanting to sit by anyone else if the seat she usually took was taken or unless she had no other choice. And luckily for Peridot, the girl had come to sit by her, her usual seat taken by some guy who was crooning over his boyfriend and girlfriend that had taken the surrounding seats.

 

Peridot did her best to not seem awkward. She acted normal like it was just another average day of listening to the teacher reading from the book and putting notes up on the board for them to copy down, occasionally helping Lapis draw the notes whenever the blue-haired girl had lost interest in class.

 

It felt like years had passed.

 

Peridot swore she was fifty years old when class finally came to a close, putting her book onto her lap after she closed it. There was five minutes left before the bell rang. Lapis had already been packed and ready to head back home, staring at her blue painted nails in boredom. Peridot had been looking at her perhaps a bit too much during class, by now she remembered on point exactly the shape of the waves in Lapis' hair and the feather hair clips that she wore by her ears.

 

Now or never.

 

Peridot gulped. She took a deep breath in to calm herself before she took the opportunity while the class talked about whatever topic their hearts contented, anxious to leave. She reached into her backpack, not quite yet pulling out what she had. First, she wanted to get Lapis' attention.

 

"Hey, uh, L-Lapis?" She spoke up, mentally scolding herself for sounding so scared.

 

Lapis raised a brow as her eyes glanced up at her. Her heart skipped a beat. Those damn dark eyes always got her every time. They were the perfect shade of beady black with a hint of blue.

 

"Yeah?" Lapis huffed nonchalantly.

 

"I uh... have to ask you something."

 

Lapis was quiet, though intrigued. Her facial expression was always either deadpan or sassy, and the personal favorite was whenever she laughed. Her laugh, God her laugh. It was... heavenly. Whenever she laughed, on the few occasions, it was like listening to the sweetest thing ever. No, quit it. Don't think about now. Don't leave her hanging-!

 

Peridot cleared her throat. "I wanted to ask you..."

 

"Yeah?" Lapis seemed to be losing interest if she didn't get on with it quick.

 

Peridot hid the lower half of her face with her turtleneck, quickly pulling out the box of chocolates and the bouquet of roses. It sort of helped her self esteem when she saw the surprised look on Lapis' face. "Will you... uh... Will you go to the Valentine's dance with me?" Her face felt boiling hot. Was this a fever? Was she sick? Was she going to die?!

 

There was a short silence. Peridot was beginning to regret having asked in the first place. What should she do?! What should she do?!

 

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to-!" Peridot quickly added, embarrassed.

 

Lapis however, broke into a small laugh. That same damn laugh with the snort. Peridot didn't know whether to feel offended or not until the bluenette spoke. "Peridot," she snickered. "Sure."

 

Wait.

 

What...?

 

Peridot had to take a moment to process what she had just heard, and once it had processed, her face turned darker in color. "You... will?" She asked for clarification.

 

Lapis shrugged. "Yeah." Though her replies were simple, the girl had also leaned in close to her, making Peridot hyperventilate in excitement, green eyes wide. They exchanged the gifts, Peridot handing over her offerings to the other. "But, just one thing." Peridot was all ears as Lapis situated herself with the flowers and chocolates. "Promise me you'll try and do the karaoke with me."

 

Karaoke? Was this girl on crack? Peridot didn't mention it. This was her chance! Even if she couldn't sing well with her nasally voice, she would do anything for Lapis. This was a successful mission after all! "Oh! Yeah, yeah! I can do karaoke," she beamed. "You're looking at a grade A singer, Lazuli."

 

"Hmm. I hope so," Lapis rolled her eyes. The school bell finally rang, announcing everyone to depart, and Peridot couldn't feel any happier. "I'll see you at the dance. Alright?" She winked as she took the gifts and her belongings, making her way out of class before she could get trampled.

 

Holy crap. Hoooooly shit. This had to be a dream come true. Peridot sat stunned for a few minutes before she finally got up, gathering her things and putting her book in her backpack.

\-----------

 

Later that night, her heart was still doing laps. This had to be the best senior year ever. She couldn't believe it. Lapis had said yes! Peridot had taken three showers in a row now, not wanting to make any mistake. Her mother had told her to stop before her fourth shower, not wanting to waste hot water.

 

Thus, Peridot continued on with the next stage of her plan for getting ready for the dance. She had put on deodorant and combed through her blonde hair, checking her face over for any pimples or zits in the bathroom mirror. Afterward, she put on a white undercoat that had been hanging on the towel rack, followed by a dark green suit. She slipped on a pair of dark underwear followed by black pants, glaring around in search of a tie.

 

"MOM!" She called. "WHERE'S MY TIE?!"

 

"It should be in there with you!" Her mother called back.

 

"YEAH? IT'S NOT!" Peridot huffed.

 

"Go find one in your room!"

 

"OKAY! THANK YOU!" Double checking over her attire, Peridot stepped out of the humid bathroom and into the hall, stopping once she reached her room. Where on earth was she supposed to find a tie? There was nothing in her room she could use to substitute either. Unless...

\----------

 

Once she had been dropped off at the school cafeteria, Peridot wondered if she should've gotten another bouquet of flowers for Lapis. Showering her in gifts seemed right. Yet at the same time? What if she scared away Lapis with all the sudden affection? Hell, they hadn't even held hands yet! And as for asking her out earlier? It hadn't been a proper confession! She didn't know how Lapis would respond to something like 'I secretly admired you from afar for three years and I know what can make you tick'! She wanted to tell Lapis how pretty she was and other mushy stuff.

 

But, for now, she could suck it up. Maybe this Valentine's dance would help their relationship start out smooth.

 

Adjusting the tie on her suit, courtesy of ripping it off of an alien stuffed animal she had back at home, Peridot held her head high as she walked through the cafeteria doors. Inside, the building was bursting with color and life. There was a huge space in the middle for dancing, loud music was playing, and flashing lights in different shades of pink and red went off in time to the music beat. Foods and drinks littered one side of the cafeteria set up on neat little tables, varying from heart shaped cookies and even to a chocolate fountain and red punch served with lemon slices shaped like hearts. On the other side, lay a photo booth and the sound equipment for the stage behind the dance floor.

 

Where was Lapis?

 

"Boo." Speak of the devil. Peridot jumped at the sudden tap on her shoulder, staring at Lapis for a good second or two before she realized it was her and smiled.

 

"You actually came," she breathed.

 

"Obviously. There's food here," Lapis joked. She was wearing a simple blue dress, which complimented her hair well and ended just above her ankles. She still wore her feather clips, though her eyes stood out against dark makeup.

 

"You look... you..." Peridot stammered. "Wow."

 

"Boring? Yeah, I know."

 

"Nononono-! You look... pretty." Peridot felt her face heat up again. "You look... hot."

 

Lapis burst into laughter. "Oh gross, don't be another jock boy," she teased, pulling Peridot forward. "C'mon, they're about to start karaoke. Do you want anything?"

 

"I ate before I came here," Peridot answered, refraining from making any dirty jokes.

 

"You sure?"

 

"Positive."

 

"Alright then." Lapis continued to lead Peridot through the crowd, right up to the stage of the dance floor. She exchanged a few words with the woman who was in charge of the stage and sound, then turned back to Peridot. "You ready?" She grinned.

 

"Hell yes," Peridot agreed. Lapis offered a hand out to her, and Peridot took it with great gratitude, thanking whatever god existed.

 

The two made their way up onto the stage, and Peridot wondered what kind of song Lapis had up her sleeve. The bluenette handed a microphone over to her. "If you don't want to, you don't have to sing," she offered. "You could just listen if you want."

 

Oh thank fuck because she was horrible at karaoke. Peridot nodded. "I'll listen," she sheepishly smiled in reply, handing the microphone back.

 

Lapis shrugged. "Suit yourself," she smugly smirked. She waited until the current song ended before the instrumental for the karaoke song had come on, and Peridot remained standing to the side, all attention on her.

 

_"Oh baby, baby,_  
_Have you seen Amy tonight?_  
_Is she in the bathroom, is she smoking up outside?"_

 

If Peridot thought her laugh was heavenly, she was mistaken. It was her voice. She stared, mouth open in wonder.

 

_"Oh baby, baby,_  
_Does she take a piece of lime?_  
_For the drink that imma buy her,_  
_Do you know just what she likes?"_

 

Some of the crowd had stopped talking in their little groups of three or fives, intrigued with the singer. Peridot couldn't blame them.

 

_"Oh, oh,_  
_Tell me have you seen her, 'cause I'm so oh,_  
_I can't get her off of my brain,_  
_I just want to go to the party she gon' go,_  
_Can somebody take me home?_  
_Haha! No!"_

 

By now, a large majority of the other school students had paused to listen. Peridot found this sort of weird. Was Lapis that amazing? Of course! She was beautiful!

 

_"Love me, hate me, say what you want about me!_  
_But all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy!"_

 

Lapis was... wonderful. Peridot felt paralysed.

 

_"Love me, hate me, say what you want about me,_  
_But you can't see what I see!"_

 

A few students closer to the stage stepped forward, almost as if in perfect sync. Okay then... Peridot looked confused. Did they want to hear Lapis clearly?

 

As Lapis continued singing, gradually the lyrics sounded more... darker in tone. The bluenette was really into the music, moving her body to the beat and making exaggerated arm and hand movements that matched the feel of the music.

 

Some more students moved forward closer to the stage in sync, stepping in time to the music. Their eyes were wide, but without the sparkle of admiration that Peridot had. The blonde narrowed her eyes as she glanced back to Lapis. The song was gradually changing. Not only in tempo, but also in lyrics. Was this even still the same cheesy Britney Spears song anymore?

 

_"Love me, hate me, say what you want about me!_  
_Crawl under my bout of wits, I've got some very nasty tricks!_  
_Entertain you, enlighten you, listen to my voice so true!_  
_But all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy!"_

 

Lapis' facial expression had become more... disturbing. She was grinning wide from ear to ear in a twisted smile. Almost all of the crowd in the cafeteria was now on the dance floor, staring up at her with blank eyes and standing in place like an army.

 

_"Have you heard, oh, have you heard?_  
_The girls are saying to not get hurt,_  
_And baby, I can promise you, with a voice serene,_  
_That you will be safe under my regime!"_

 

Peridot was getting creeped out. As much as she adored Lapis, this was getting weird.

 

_"Offer your putrid lives to me,_  
_All you high school wannabes,_  
_Let me prey upon your hearts of red and blue,_  
_We could stay together forever if you wanna tell me por forvor!_  
_All you boys and all you girls, beg if you seek Amy!"_

 

"Lapis!" Peridot shouted, her voice quiet under the music and notes. What was going on? Was Lapis insane? She looked back to the crowd, who still looked lifeless and under some kind of mind control.

 

_"Feel the weight of sound,_  
_Kneel before my power found,_  
_All you boys with hearts of blue,_  
_And all you girls with hearts to gore,_  
_I'll suck you dry and leave not-"_

 

"Peridot!"

 

There was one familiar voice somewhere lost in the wave of mindless minions. Peridot was panicking. She couldn't see who had called her name.

 

Lapis, however, continued singing. She looked pissed. As she glared out at the crowd gathered, Peridot felt more and more confused and scared. Oh, she should've known something would happen-! She got lucky asking a girl out and this was what came of it!

 

Lapis' voice came stronger with repeating her lyrics, almost sounding echoed as well. It was... eerie. And the longer Peridot stayed, the more she didn't like this anymore. She slowly began to creep away from Lapis, who seemed more interested in her song.

 

"Peridot!" There came the voice again. Scanning the crowd, the blonde felt great relief when she spotted Amethyst.

 

"Amethyst!" She shouted back until her lungs screamed. "What's happening?!" Why wasn't Amethyst also a mindless zombie?

 

"What?! C'mere! Hurry! Put these earplugs in!"

 

"Siren!" Another voice had faintly reached her ears. "Take the shot- we don't have time left!"

 

Peridot jumped down from the stage and into the crowd, just when something had struck Lapis and pierced her in the chest. Peridot gasped. This had to be some crazy dream that was probably because she was high or something-

 

Next before she knew it, Amethyst was at her side. The short woman stuck something into both her ears, which Peridot recognized to be ear plugs. Green eyes focused back on Lapis, who...

 

Holy.

 

Fuck.

 

 _Was flying_.

 

A pair of giant blue and black wings had sprouted from her back, carrying her in the air as she hovered in place, her mouth moving in what Peridot could assume was her still singing. This couldn't be happening. This had to be a nightmare. She'd take accidentally wetting her bed over this.

 

"Amethsyt! What's-?!" Peridot shouted, before she was suddenly knocked out cold, and the world ebbed into black.


	2. What Just Happened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The numbers, Mason, what do they mean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> // y'all wanted more and I'm sick today so oof short chapter

"Wh-?" Peridot was groggy when she finally awoke, her eyes blurry and making everything look dizzy. She didn't have her glasses on, which, explained a lot for her vision case. She felt around some in search of her glasses with little success. Her hands were bound tight to something, limiting her movements.

 

Oh hell no. If this was like those movies or video games where the protagonist got knocked out and then tied up, Peridot wanted out of this. She was still wearing what she had worn to the dance, and she felt humiliated in it. What even had...?

 

Lapis! Where was she?

 

"HEY!" She squeaked loudly, only for no reply to come to her. "HEY! HEEEELLOOO?"

 

Silence.

 

Well. This stunk.

 

Peridot, the girl who asked the other girl out and got a dream come true only to have crazy stuff happen. Maybe she had been high. Maybe the punch was spiked. Did she even drink any punch? Wow, she couldn't remember. All she did remember was seeing Lapis...

 

Wait. Lapis didn't fly, did she? No, that sounded off. Lapis couldn't fly. People couldn't fly and no way could people make some kind of army of mindless minions just by singing. Oh. Yeah. Lapis was singing... and she was so pretty...

 

"'Sup, Perisnot, are ya up yet?"

 

Peridot knitted her brows as she tried to decode the voice and where it came from. Her vision was still horrible, granted she lacked her glasses and felt like her whole body was aching, but eventually she could make out the faint and fuzzy shapes of some kind of figure standing in front of her. When she didn't respond in a timely manner quick enough for the stranger, her face was greeted with a splash of water.

 

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Peridot growled loudly, irritated. She coughed, wanting to go home and lay in her bed.

 

"Sorry, it wasn't me," the voice- Amethyst? - apologized. Peridot shook her head, failing at getting the water drops off of her face.

 

"It was me. My sincere apologies, but, you need to wake up. You have answers that we want," a second voice said. Now that one, Peridot could only faintly figure out. It was soft spoken like caramel batter.

 

"Uh... answers?" Peridot murmured.

 

"Yes, answers." The second voice had a face, one that was tall and thin. Really, she would've thought it was Lapis if it wasn't for the weird orange hair. "You survived a siren singing without requiring any ear plugs. How did you do it?"

 

"A what?" Peridot mused.

 

"A siren," the unknown voice repeated.

 

"Siren. Right, well... like, the 'wee woo' siren? Fire truck siren? Ooh! No, nono, you mean an ambulance!"

 

"For the love of-... A siren is a creature from Greek mythology who lures victims to their deaths with their songs. They're the daughters of the river god Achelous, rumored to die if anyone survived their songs. In which, you did."

 

Peridot was lost. "Siren," she slowly enunciated. "Riiiiigght."

 

"She's not taking this seriously."

 

"Peridot, you can see this, right?" Amethyst waved her hand in front of Peridot, who nodded in annoyance. "Okay, cool. This gal next to me is Pearl, she's our fun police. She just wants to know what you saw and what happened."

 

"Uh... I was tied up," Peridot stated the obvious. "By you clods, I think, ruining my date. Shit-! Lapis, where's Lapis?! She was singing and everything, and she... She..." Wait. Things didn't add up. "I think she started to uh... fly...?"

 

"We know. We saw that. It must've been her true form triggered to come out," the second voice, introduced as Pearl, said.

 

"Who hit me on the head?!"

 

Amethyst raised a hand. "Guilty as charged. Oh- here, dude. Almost forgot this." Peridot sat still as her friend slid a pair of glasses back onto her face, clearing up her surroundings.

 

Now she could see that she was in a white room, cramped and small. Pearl was a tall and lanky woman with orange colored hair, and blue eyes. She had light freckles, all across her face and shoulders. "Can I pleeeeaaase go home now?"

 

"Not until we figure this mystery out, sorry," Pearl shrugged.

 

"Can I at least be untied?!" Peridot groaned.

 

Pearl shook her head. "Not unless Garnet gives the order to. It's for the safety of both you and our prisoners. But, don't worry, we'll make sure that you get three course meals everyday."

 

Prisoners? Oh christ, was she in a prison?!

 

"Can you at least tell me where Lapis is? We're kind of... a thing now. I hope. Hopefully." Peridot kicked her feet. "I don't know, maybe she broke up with me after that singing thing-"

 

"She's properly bound and caged here," Pearl explained. "You won't be able to see her for a while until we figure everything out. Her blood cell count was normal when we tested her and had traces of human blood, which, I assume comes from being half bird and half human."

 

Peridot wanted to pinch herself and wake up from whatever dream this was. "How long am I gonna be here?" She quietly questioned.

 

"As long as we require you to be. And no need to worry about your parents or family, we're awfully good at covering our tracks," Pearl assured before gesturing Amethyst to follow her out of the room. "We'll be back shortly once you've recovered from your headache."

 

"Nono, wait! Hey! Get back here!" Peridot fretted, squirming about. "Amethyst, please!" But, her friend didn't help her. Neither did the Pearl lady. The door closed, leaving her all alone in the room.

 

Oh man. Oh man oh man oh man-. This was a dream, right? Maybe she had been punched by one of Lapis' exes- did she have any?- and was now having a weird concussion dream. There was no way that Lapis could be this siren business and flying and having an army of mindless students!

 

Right?


	3. Let me Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They should work on guarding their prisoners more.

"Are you sure that we can't just at least untie her?" Amethyst asked Pearl as the two walked down the corridors of the underground building. Several other monsters, from werewolves to carnivorous horses and serpents, glared at the two when they past their cages. Some were tied up inside their captive spaces, or stripped of their magic and other handy special abilities. These were known as the Corrupted- former humans who became beasts through means of heritage or dark magic.

 

"No. We have to wait for further orders from Garnet," Pearl shook her head, jumping when a manticore in one of the cages had roared at her. "If we're lucky, we would just need to wipe her memory and then turn her loose."

 

"Wipe her- hold up, P. Peridot and I have known each other since Kindergarten. What if she forgot about me?" Amethyst asked, worried.

 

"It wouldn't go that far. We'd wipe her memory from within the last twenty four hours," Pearl explained. She stopped in front of a large cell at the end of the corridors, pausing to put in a code in order to open it. "Put your ear plugs in, we don't know what we're in for."

 

Amethyst obliged, inserting a pair of ear plugs that she had been handed. Pearl did the same with another pair that she had in her possession, stepping inside the cell. It was long, and dark. At the end, a new specimen was chained to the wall at her wrists and ankles. A thick leather strap was fastened around her neck, leaving only enough room to breathe and speak. Pearl led the way toward the being, Amethyst following close behind her.

 

A haunting melody sounded from the trapped being, her lips moving as she sang;

 

_"London bridge is falling down,_   
_All around,_   
_Kill the town,_   
_London bridge is falling down,_   
_Scream, my fair lady."_

 

"With these certain ear plugs, we can only hear speech. Siren songs are deflected," Pearl informed. "We're safe as long as we don't take them out." Amethyst nodded in understanding, and Pearl was the first to approach the prisoner, sitting down on her knees in front of her.

 

The being, a normal human girl with blue hair and dark eyes, narrowed her gaze at Pearl. "Oh. It's you," she grumbled. "Amazing."

 

"I know, we truly are," Pearl huffed, not wanting to play around. This was no time for games. "Mind telling us what you were doing at a high school dance, intending to eat everyone?"

 

The girl snorted. "When you put it that way..."

 

"Cooperate with us, Lapis, and all with go smoothly," Pearl lightly warned.

 

The girl sighed. "... Not everyone," she mumbled. "Maybe just... I don't know. One. Two. Five..."

 

"It doesn't matter the number. You still planned to hypnotize students and then consume them for your leisure," Pearl pointed out.

 

"Hah. Leisure," Lapis nonchalantly grinned. "You mean survival. I need to eat." She took a deep breath in before she began another tune, humming to the song of 'Ring Around the Rosie'.

 

"You can't eat anything else?" Amethyst piped up.

 

Lapis stopped humming. "Mm. Not really. I could. But... I'd starve." She looked bored. "Release me."

 

Amethyst shook her head. "Sorry, dude."

 

"As long as you prove to be a threat to the public, you will remain here," Pearl stated. "Do you know how many memory wipes we have to do already?"

 

"Two," Lapis childishly smirked.

 

Pearl slowly face palmed.

 

"Eugh, Peridot liked her?" Amethyst sniffed.

 

"Peridot?" Lapis seemed interested. "The blonde girl, right? She looked delicious. Top and bottom."

 

"You're disgusting," Pearl grimaced.

 

"Am I? I bet you eat burgers and ribs," Lapis scoffed.

 

"I'm vegan," Pearl was unimpressed.

 

"Hi vegan, I'm Lapis."

 

Amethyst let out a very loud groan. "This is getting nowhere, Pearl! Let's bounce, she's not gonna tell us anything."

 

Pearl shook her head. "We'll figure out a way to make you crack," she bet.

 

"Ooh, I'm so scared," Lapis mocked. "What are you going to do? Let me eat someone? Maybe I'll talk then."

 

Pearl gritted her teeth, heading out of the long cell. "We're leaving. Amethyst, you can go untie Peridot, just make sure that she doesn't go anywhere she isn't allowed."

 

Lapis watched the duo leave, the cell door closing behind them. Back to being alone in the dark, Lapis took a deep breath in and studied the chains that held her prisoner to the wall behind her. There was a lock that she could try and pick that held the chains together... if she only had something to pick it with...

 

The back of her blue hair bristled, then stood on end as each clump of hair morphed into feathers. She thrashed around to the best of her ability, restrained by the chains bound to her and the band around her neck. A few feathers that were due to molt for a while now finally were shaken out, falling to the floor by her feet.

 

The quills of the feathers could work for picking the lock with. Her bare foot closest to a majority of the feathers seemed to convulse before it morphed into bird-like talons, allowing her to grab one feather with ease.

 

Now, all she had to do was get to work.


	4. Escape

"You need to explain _EVERYTHING._ " And Peridot meant it. From the... The singing, the kidnapping, the... the WHERE WAS LAPIS-?! "And PLEEEASE take these off of me!"

 

Amethyst frowned, looking a bit sorry for her friend. "Sucks, man, I wish I could," she shook her head as she led the blonde along in a pair of shackles around her wrists. "Pearl goes crazy with this safety protocol thing. I'm sure G will sort this out though and get you out."

 

"G?" Peridot raised a brow as she was led out of the hall, and into a more friendlier and welcoming looking part of whatever building she was being kept in. It looked like a standard living room of some sorts, with incorporated pieces of office-like organized stacks of papers on the tables in the room and a few cubicles even. On one wall was a large board with papers and pictures thumb tacked to it, as if someone was trying to solve a murder mystery. A coffee machine lay on top of a table with what looked like packs of ear plugs beside it, the machine currently at work making two cups of coffee that filled the room with the earthy scent.

 

Peridot decided to sit down in one soft chair near the table with the coffee machine, Amethyst taking the seat next to hers as she held on to the chains that connected to her shackles. "Yeah, G," Amethyst grinned with a scoff, lazily lifting one hand as she spoke with her elbow on the rim of the seat. "Garnet's the boss around these parts, she knows what to do."

 

"So, she knows what happened back at...-" Peridot sighed and slunk down in her seat in disappointment. "Listen, I just need to know what is going on! With- with Lapis, the dance- the-!" She struggled to get the words out, her hands helplessly bound by the shackles. "I'm CONFUSED!"

 

"Whoa, whoa, okay, calm down, sheesh," Amethyst assured. "I mean, yeah this is the first time we have an actual human prisoner instead of like... just mind wiping everyone but...-"

 

" _PRISONER_?!" Peridot tugged on the shackles as she sat upright.

 

"Well- yeah maybe in a sense, but- calm your tits, let me talk," Amethyst begged. "I was joking- maybe- about the prisoner thing. That chick you're yelling about is a siren, and we jailed her, simple as shit. Didn't you hear what Pearl and I-?"

 

"You two spoke as if in some sort of code! I didn't understand a single word of it besides the fact that the one you call Pearl is stuck up with some siren business, which if it's even real, that Lapis FLEW and HAD THE SCHOOL-"

 

"Dude. Lemme explain, I got this," Amethyst calmly spoke. She waited until Peridot relaxed and quieted down entirely before continuing, "I know you're probably thinking you're going bonkers, but this? This is all real."

 

"What is this place? W- where am I?" Peridot demanded.

 

"Top secret. But it's a pretty cool place when you get to know it," Amethyst softly smiled. "We're the good guys, and we keep the bad guys from eating people or destroying cities. It's like those video games you play."

 

Peridot furrowed her brows. "I'm pretty sure even Fallout doesn't have stuff like this," she muttered under her breath. "Whose the 'bad guys'?"

 

Amethyst took a moment to think. "Eeehhhh, things like trolls and werewolves and all that cool crap."

 

"... Werewolves?" Peridot blinked, lost.

 

"And faeries, witches, shapeshifters, dragons...- No, fuck. We haven't seen a dragon in forever. I think those guys are dead," Amethyst awkwardly stated. "But you get the idea, right?"

 

Peridot was flabbergasted. Then, she burst into laughter. "This is a prank, right?" She snickered, holding her belly as she laughed. “Amethyst, I’ve known you for  _ years. _ You saying that this is… real, is like saying that I never knew that you liked chips or pizza.”

 

Amethyst fiddled with her hands a bit. “Weeell, it’s top secret. I’m not supposed to tell anybody, not even best friends, about this.”

 

Peridot looked offended.

 

Amethyst shrugged. “Sorry, dude. But, not even a snot like you can know about this stuff. If you did…-”

 

“Then I wouldn’t be so freaked out by now!” Peridot pointed out. “And- Amethyst, come on! I thought we told each other everything!”

 

“Yeah?! Well, this isn’t something you can just tell to  _ anybody _ without them thinking you’re crazy!” Amethyst defended. “I couldn’t even tell my own mother, or my sister! This isn’t just a thing that I couldn’t tell only you! I can’t tell anybody, and everybody!”

 

Peridot grimaced under her breath. “You’re telling me this now.”

 

“Because you’re now wrapped up in it! And I didn’t want you to be! Nobody would want to be.” Amethyst fell quiet, and Peridot took that as a sign that she had hit a kind of territory that she shouldn’t dare tread upon. She reluctantly held her tongue, glaring down at her shackles. And when she had looked back up however, a familiar by now face was back. Peridot leaped back, almost taking Amethyst with her as she squeaked in alarm in response to the sudden presence of Pearl standing in the room in front of her.

 

"You." Pearl pointed at Peridot with what looked like a small blade, silver with the glimmering promise of a sharp fate. "How did you do it? We never got to finish this conversation before back in the holding room. How did you survive a siren's song?"

 

Peridot blinked. She looked at Amethyst for help, who only rolled her eyes. "P, Peridot doesn't know what we're talking about."

 

"And I didn't know this whole time!" Peridot added. "I don't know what's with Lapis, I don't know any siren business-!"

 

Pearl bit her bottom lip. "Garnet is going to be displeased. But, she was right about one thing and that was how this conversation will turn out," she murmured under her breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose in shame with her free hand. "I can't erase her memory because you told me-"

 

Amethyst raised her hands up defensively, letting go of Peridot's shackles. "I said that because otherwise, Peridot is going to forget who I am if it goes wrong. That, and she might even forget how to breathe, or eat, or do school, or-"

 

"I get it," Pearl grumbled. "But what else am I supposed to do?"

 

Amethyst shrugged. Pearl mumbled something under her breath.

 

"So... can I go now?" Peridot said hopefully.

 

"... Fine, yes, I suppose so. I’ve already talked with Garnet and... Things will be in order as long as we let it be... Assign a post outside the cell or two... " Pearl stepped back, mumbling more nonsense under her breath as she went to make herself a coffee. Peridot blinked, dumbfounded.

 

"Yeah. Sorry you got into this," Amethyst spoke up, watching as Peridot stood up and examined her shackles. "It's not..."

 

"Look, I can go home and pretend this was all a dream, okay?" Peridot hoped, just wanting to get this all over with.

 

"You better swear you won't tell anyone," Amethyst warned. "Because it's not just me you need to be worried about. You need to also be worried of P and G if you ever tell anyone about this." She slumped in her seat. "... If anyone would believe you and not call you mentally insane obviously."

 

"O-okay! Okay. Then, I swear. I swear on my name that I won't tell anybody about this uh... weird nightmare," Peridot promised with a shaky smile. "Can I go now-?" She was hushed by Amethyst who gestured for her to be quiet.

 

"Yeah. But you _need_ to keep your promise. And be telling the truth that you have no idea about what this is about," Amethyst whispered.

 

Peridot nodded. Amethyst got up, grabbed Peridot's shackles again, and began to lead her out of the room and down to a more nicer looking place of the building. Which, also had a visible exit. Peridot's heart skipped a beat in excitement.

 

"Sheesh. If Garnet gets on me for this, I'm blaming you," Amethyst huffed, taking a moment to find a pair of keys in her pockets before unlocking the shackles. Once free, Peridot rubbed at her wrists where the chains had been seconds ago, basking in the freedom.

 

"I owe you one," Peridot gasped in relief.

 

"Eh. Just buy me an all you can eat Vegas style buffet and it's even," Amethyst pursed her lips, opening the door for her friend.

 

* * *

 

Later that night, Pearl was having a fit about letting Peridot go.

 

"I explained everything to Garnet. She said it would turn out fine, but what if it doesn't? She can't always be certain, and even if she claims to be a prophet, what if she was just assuring me that everything would be okay when it wouldn't be okay?" Pearl ranted as she walked back and forth across the room, frustrated.

 

"If G said it'd be fine, it'd be fine," Amethyst assured. "She knows more than any of us. And- thank you, by the way. For not erasing Peri's memory, ya know."

 

"Which, I should've done from the start like my instincts told me instead of doubting it. We can't make exceptions for friends. It's dangerous. And if she ever starts spreading word of whose-its and whats-its, either the world will place her in a mental hospital, or we will get discovered and found," Pearl continued.

 

"You worry too much about this. Trust me, it's gonna be fine," Amethyst calmly said.

 

Pearl furrowed her brow as she stood for a second, as if quietly thinking. And from the silence, echoed a faint voice;

 

_ “Weary traveler, somber and soft spoken, _

_ How can I ever grant you my appreciation token? _

_ With towering golds, or jewels of bitter vice, _

_ Name any price, or ask for my advice.” _

 

"You hear that, right?" Pearl questioned.

 

"Hear what?" Amethyst grunted before trying to listen.

 

_ “Caged was the bird, and trapped was her heart, _

_ But never will the seas turn apart. _

_Blue b ird once jailed, is her forever memory,_

_ Now roam newfound foes, who will forever be lost among the sea.” _

 

"You think that's...-?" Pearl began to realize what it was.

 

"Oh yeah. Big time," Amethyst agreed. She quickly grabbed the pair of ear plugs by the coffee machine, handed them to Pearl, and then muffled her own ears with both hands. "If I start going nuts, put me in a cage or something. I dunno."

 

The duo began to slowly make their way out of the room and towards the noise, the environment having gone mysteriously silent. Either the song had stopped, or the siren was still singing and it was fainter now.

 

Pearl began to examine the hallways that thin out into the chambers of where they held hostage their supernatural fellows, while Amethyst warily went down to check the supplies closet. Pearl was light on her feet, ready to move if necessary. She walked down towards the end, checking through all the cages one by one, before beginning to make her way towards the secure holding of the siren. She glanced around, made sure it was clear, then reached a hand out towards the keypad and inserted the code. It was accepted, and the door was unlocked.  The prison was empty. The chains that used to hold the siren was no longer bound to anyone or anything. All that was there that gave any evidence of a girl being here was the stray navy blue and black feathers on the ground. Pearl frowned, checking around the area before she headed out, and closed the door, not bothering to lock it again. The prisoner was gone. The siren was... gone.

 

Or so she thought. A fault on her part, the siren had been waiting for her to open the door and let her out.

 

Disappointed, Pearl groaned under her breath, about to go warn Amethyst and Garnet before something suddenly collided into her, causing her to crash into the ground. Sharp talons edged across her face, another pair of talons holding her down by her midsection like a bug caught by a spider. She opened her mouth to call for help, only for her attacker to hush her using a hand over her mouth.

 

"Yell for help, and you will regret it."

 

Pearl had no choice but to be silent, due to being muffled and due to the threat. She glanced up, eyeing the shape of the siren they had caught. She had no weapon besides her blade, and the ear plugs were the only thing between her and certain death. ... If this siren wasn't a fighter obviously.

 

Pearl struggled for her knife, and Lapis took quick notice of what she was doing. The siren girl applied more pressure, then suddenly took off into the air with a pair of large wings that sprouted from her back, dragging Pearl along with her. "Tell me how to get out of here," the siren demanded, flying out of the chambers and towards more open rooms, one of which was a warehouse, in which she began to escalate and gain altitude until she was at the ceiling, threatening to drop Pearl.

 

Pearl denied, giving the siren a nasty look. Lapis in turn scoffed. Her wing beats threatened to wack Pearl out with brute strength alone if the fall would not do the trick. Lapis tried to get the other to speak, raking a claw against Pearl's cheek, but made the mistake of letting go of the hold over the other's mouth. Pearl immediately began to yell for back up.

 

Enraged, Lapis slammed Pearl down onto the ground, diving before she forced Pearl to hit the floor head-first. "Tell me. How do I get out of here?" She demanded again. And Pearl still refused, only able to let out a pained cry from the agony that surrounded her body. The hit was grave enough to cause her ears to ring, and her neck felt tight as Lapis grabbed it. She couldn't tell if the liquid dripping from the top of her head was water or blood.

 

Lapis looked ready to kill her off right then and there, but before she could, back up came in the nick of time. Garnet, with shades over her eyes and a pair of ear plugs inserted, arrived with Amethyst, who now also had the proper ear plugs.

 

"I thought this would happen," Garnet murmured, holding a small pistol. "But... it was only a small possibility. Caused by rifts and wits-"

 

"My wits? You’re generous," Lapis taunted, keeping Pearl in a death grip to use her as a shield between herself and getting pounced on. "Why don't you go back to telling somebody's fortune through their palm or play with dead things or whatever." The siren examined Garnet for a moment with curiosity. "... You're not fully human, are you?" She smirked.

 

Amethyst stepped closer, wielding a sharp whip. "Neither are you. We saw your blood count, shitface! Part human, part weird bird-"

 

Lapis snorted. "I hate doctors. I also hate blood tests. Do you do that to every prisoner here?" She threatened to cut Pearl in half. "It's funny. You hunt people like me... yet, you have someone like me on your side. Isn't that ironic?" She began to squeeze Pearl's throat. "How does it feel, killing your _own people_? The supernatural!?" She was acting like a child, playing with her food.

 

Garnet said nothing. She merely held up her gun, pointing it at Lapis. Who, in turn, held up Pearl in front of the weapon's path.

 

"I do what I do because I need food. I need to _survive_. Is that a crime?!" Lapis hissed, her wings spread.

 

"It becomes one when you start eating people!" Amethyst shouted.

 

Garnet said nothing. But, she dropped her pistol entirely.

 

"Dude, what the fuck?! Now she's gonna-!" Amethyst started to protest.

 

Garnet looked at Amethyst coolly. "Drop yours too," she ordered. And Amethyst, reluctantly obeyed.

 

Lapis smirked. "Good." She let go of Pearl entirely, pushing her aside with both wings when the other tried to go for her blade again. "Now. I'll ask this one more time-" 

 

Garnet quickly picked her weapon back up once Pearl was out of harm's way, quickly firing two bullets. Lapis looked shocked, one of her wings managing to bat one bullet away like a bulletproof barricade before the other bullet hit her shoulder. She winced, and shot a look of hate at the trio surrounding her. “... Fine. Hard way it is,” Lapis spat with an unimpressed tone, a hand ghosting over her wound for only a moment before she stepped back. Garnet began to load another round of bullets, and Lapis knew she only had a short amount of time left to recover and recoil with an attack. 

 

The siren eyed each individual for a split second, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. Her wings beat heavy against thin air a few times, then froze in place. Each quill of her feathers perked to attention, the bristles seeming to roll like an ocean wave. Her hair had the eerie vibe of acting like the feathers that made up her wings, and the muscles in her body tensed. 

 

When Garnet was ready to fire a few more blows at the target, Lapis was also ready to deliver her own attack. And it was too late for the trio to try and defend themselves. Right as the next few bullets skimmed the air toward the siren, Lapis had brought in her wings close to her body, only to then let them unfurl and display them out to their full lengths proudly as she stood tall, mouth open to release a singular yet sincere high-pitched note. She held it, milking the note out into a long drag, the sound loud enough to shatter the few glass panes on the roof of the warehouse which crumbled down in broken pieces around her opponents. While the building trembled under the weight of her voice, the bullets that had been fired at her changed direction rather quickly, being deflected off of an invisible force. Garnet had to duck to avoid being hit by her own attempt of an attack, and she and her team couldn’t manage to get a grip before they too were blown away from the siren, flung aside back against the wall of the building. Amethyst and Pearl let out a grunt when they had hit the wall. Garnet, however, just bit down on her tongue. She couldn’t move, and neither could she try anything new without getting forced back. There was nothing that they could do.

 

Eventually, Lapis ended the note, and she took flight before the trio could recover. She leaped into the air, slipping through the broken panes in the ceiling and out into the world.

 

Garnet did her best to stumble away from the wall once she was able to, a few glass pieces crunching under her boots as she angrily ran to where Lapis had been prior to her escape. “... Dammit!” She cursed under her breath, fists at her sides as she glared up at the roof.

 

And just when they thought that their pursuit would have come to an end, their prisoner was now free and able to continue wrecking chaos in the world.

 

Dammit.


End file.
